Resilience describes the ways in which individuals are able to manage and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances in their environment. There are many different factors influencing an individual’s ability to respond resiliently to change or adversity; self-awareness and empowerment require knowledge and support.
Now more than ever, pharmacists face unprecedented challenges and competing demands for their time and talent. Some pharmacists report feeling overwhelmed or unable to manage. Providing pharmacists in all types of practices with the tools and knowledge they need to better support their own resilience is critical, so pharmacists can continue to care effectively for their patients.
Each individual is unique, and will have their own strengths and challenges with respect to resilience. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the issues of coping, adaptation, and resilience. Instead, having access to a variety of tools, approaches, strategies, and ideas to help individuals self-assess and reflect upon their own needs can be more effective. CPE’s repository of resilience resources can provide a useful starting point to help individuals navigate complex but highly personal needs and to identify supports that are most relevant and helpful.
It is important to recognize that in some cases, practice-related stress and burnout may reach critical or even dangerous levels. In many cases, burnout may produce psychiatric consequences that are simply not suitable for self-management: if you feel you or a colleague are in crisis or have reached a stage where self-help or collegial support are not sufficient, please connect with a qualified health care professional immediately to seek the assistance and support you need to stay healthy.
This program of work is led by Zubin Austin. For more information, please contact zubin.austin@utoronto.ca